The style of play has provided moments of great entertainment, but England failed to win any of their first four five-match series against India or Australia.
Key’s remit, unlike McCullum’s, extends beyond the men’s national team, although clearly that is the flagship element of it, and the ECB views it as a role that is ideally done for more than four years by each holder of the post.
Hard questions remain for England coach Brendon McCullum.Credit: Getty Images
Key appointed McCullum as Test coach in 2022 and added white-ball responsibilities in 2024 after Matthew Mott – another Key appointment – was removed from his role following successive disappointing World Cup campaigns.
However, despite this, McCullum’s position still appears less certain than that of Key or Stokes. It has been made clear by the ECB that some aspects of the team’s off-field behaviour needs to change, as well as their approach to training and preparation.
McCullum is a coach with a specific approach designed to remove some of the immense pressure felt by players, and he has hinted that if changes are imposed upon him, he is not the man for the job. The once unbreakable bond between McCullum and Stokes did appear to fray a touch under the pressure of the Ashes in Australia.
McCullum said in the aftermath of defeat in Sydney: “I have firm beliefs in what works,” adding: “Am I for being told what to do? Of course I’m not.”
Speaking about the notion of ideas imposed upon him, McCullum said: “Without being ultimately able to steer the ship, maybe there is someone better.”
There are already some signs of cultural and coaching changes being put in place. Less than two weeks after the Ashes ended, McCullum is in Sri Lanka for a white-ball tour. The first of three one-day internationals is on Thursday, with three T20 matches to follow ahead of a World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, beginning on February 7.
Loading
England have put a midnight curfew in place for the Sri Lanka tour following Brook’s altercation in New Zealand last year.
Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed have been able to join the tour following the late issuing of their visas for the India leg of the trip. England are also joined by a fielding coach, Carl Hopkinson, which represents a notable departure from the Ashes, where their backroom staff was slim.
Bowling consultant David Saker is again with the group, but the New Zealander mind coach Gilbert Enoka, a friend of McCullum’s famed for his “no dickheads” policy with the All Blacks, is not.
Brook will face the media for the first time since the disclosure of the incident in New Zealand on Wednesday.
